Burbank-trained UFC fighter Jared Papazian stopped in first round

Grant Gordon, grant.gordon@latimes.com

Just as he said he would, Jared "The Jackhammer" Papazian brought the fight to Dustin Pague on Friday night at the Bank Atlantic Center in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

But, unfortunately for the Gracie Barra Burbank-trained Ultimate Fighting Championship competitor, it was Pague who brought home the victory, notching a tapout from Papazian via rear-naked choke at the 3:21 mark of the opening round in a bout that was part of the preliminary card — televised live on Fuel TV — of the UFC on FX 3.

From the onset, Papazian (14-8), who was cornered by Glendale's Alberto Crane, closed the distance with punches, but after a Papazian flurry, Pague (11-5) locked up a standing plumb clinch that led to a trip from Pague and subsequent top position on the ground.

From there, Pague, a former "The Ultimate Fighter" cast member, maintained his base, as Papazian looked to scoot to the cage before rolling and giving up his back. After Papazian almost threw Pague off, Pague readjusted with his back against the fence and looked to lock in the rear-naked choke. Papazian fought well for a while before Pague locked in a body triangle and soon thereafter locked in the choke and secured the tapout.